Guardian
by rika08
Summary: every situation that ends badly, he was always there to get her out.
1. Pursuit

Scorching rays overhead were the first sensation Anderson felt a she regained consciousness. The second was the agonizing pain the coursed through her body upon her rousing. So strong and crippling. She tenses her entire body in an attempt not to move and further. Her chest fell into a series of erratic spasms as she tried to control her breathing. A strangled cry escaped her chapped and lacerated lips, echoing through the ears of the absent. She lay on her back, looking at the sky through her the visor of her helmet. She snorted internally. She couldn't bring herself to wear the thing on assignment, but given a street chase, it never left her head. It was most likely the sole reason for her survival during the chase. A shift of her head, and she is freed from its confines, relishing in the moment of fresh air gracing her sweat and blood covered face. Her left arm lay beside her head, uniform shredded and riddled with blood and vehicle fluids. Her fingers trembled unceasingly, numb from the shock. Her entire body felt cold, cold blades piercing her every fiber.

Twenty yards from her position lay her Lawmaster, crippled, just as badly as Anderson, if not better. It lay on its side, rear wheel still spinning its shredded tire, sending pieces skittering across the bridge. The right cannon barrel has broken off from the crash, probably near the bridge entrance, while the left is bent toward the center of the bike. Dents, scratches, components litter the bridge and the Lawmaster.

An armed robbery escalating to a chase through Mega-City One. Perps didn't want to surrender. They would rather die before surrendering to a Judge. The mangled remains of their flaming vehicle at the bottom of the gorge was a testament to the fact. Their desperation to flee from her, irresponsible speed, and reckless firing had not only killed thirteen innocents in the pursuit, but had also rendered both vehicles unstable. The perps hand been first to lose control, and she had followed not long after. As a result, the perps had careened through the old railing into the gorge, while Anderson managed to remain on the bridge, but only just.

Anderson closed her eyes and released a strangling breath, only to couch violently. The warm bitter taste of copper flooded her mouth and was partially expelled as she coughed. It splattered her skin, rolling down her cheek. She swallowed what remained and focused on her breathing. The pain still rang throughout her body. Taking all her focus not to cry out again.

_"Control to Anderson, what's your status?"_

Anderson opened her eyes. She gasped painfully. Her comm had survived the crash, despite the state of her uniform. But her injuries prevented her from responding.

_"Control to Anderson what is your status?"_

Anderson clenched her hand in an attempt to move her arm. The pain immediately engulfed her limb, causing the muscles to spasm. She groaned and relaxed her arm, unable to move it. Control would go unanswered.

_"All units be advised, we have an AWOL Judge on assignment. Responding to pursuit of armed robbers moving through sector thirteen. Any Judges within the vicinity respond."_

Anderson closed her eyes as the pain slowly began to subside. Whether it was from the shock or her body giving into its injuries, she wasn't sure. What Anderson was sure of, was that her surroundings were dimming. She felt as if her mind was slowly pulling from her body. Anderson inhaled deeply, trying to maintain her coherence, but only managed to induce another coughing fit. Her body tensed as she choked on her blood in an attempt to expel it from her body.

Beneath her, the bridge shuddered loudly. The structure baring the weight of her Lawmaster crumbled under its lacking stability. With a violent shudder, the bridge gave way to the vehicle and sent it tumbling down into the gorge. The collision shook the bridge to the core, threatening to take down what remained of the structure. The weight of a single person added to the bridge would be enough to collapse it.

The roar of a Lawmaster cut through the air, overtaking the groaning of the bridge. Its engine grew closer, growing louder. Anderson could hear it approach her position. She turned her head ever so slightly to avoid further pain, but is wasn't enough to see the approaching vehicle. Instead she listened as it came to a stop just before the bridge entrance. The engine cut off, leaving the perimeter in silence once more. She could hear the dismount, followed by a long stride of heavy footsteps.

"Anderson!" comes the gruff, but all too familiar voice.

Her heart speeds up from some unknown reason. "Dredd?"

"Good to see you're still alive kid. What's your status?" he demands.

Anderson can sense nothing but authority within his voice. "Not good, sir. Perps killed in pursuit. I am...unable to reach a safe distance due to severe injuries sustained in my pursuit. My security is only maintained by the unstable structure which I reside upon." She coughs harshly once. "Off the record sir, I'm screwed."

"Not on my watch Rookie." comes the reply. Only a second following, Anderson feels the approach through vibrations within the bridges structure. The bridge groans under the additional weight, giving into it.

"Sir what the hell are you doing?" she demands.

"Getting you to a safe distance." he replies.

"Sir, the bridge is structurally unstable, any additional weight will causes its collapse." she explains. "Risking your safety for my own is an unacceptable course of action."

"Leaving a fellow Judge in aid is also unacceptable." Dredd replies.

"Sir I cannot allow you to risk your safety for me." she says. _And I am aware you would only take such a risk for a select few of Judges._

His voice is closer to her now. Nearly on top of her location. "You plan on forcibly removing me?"

Anderson shifts her head carefully, finally located Dredd. He is just behind her, almost within reach. She swallows with anxiety and difficulty. She coughs again, turning her head from him as more blood escapes her lips and saturates her skin.

"Hang on Rookie." he says.

"You're lucky I can't remove your ass, sir." she coughs again. "And I'm hardly a Rookie."

Dredd says nothing, but merely grunts in response. He reaches her position. To her surprise, and great relief, the bridge has yet to give under the additional weight. It was most likely due to his slow and steady approach. But reaching her position was the easy task. There was still the task of returning to as safe position. Dredd moves around her body, kneeling directly in front of her.

"You ready?" he asks.

Anderson nods.

He reaches beneath her left arm first. Her arms comes around his neck and she takes a shaky hold of his collar. She buries her face against his chest as she rises into his hold. The pain returns at a hundred folds it original strength. Her body tenses to keep from screaming in agony as he takes her into his arms.

A groaning sound breaks them both from their thoughts. The bridge shudders and groans again. Anderson and feel the balance of the bridge sink. The groaning increases and the structure supports give way altogether. Anderson tightens her weak grasp of Dredd as the bridge begins to drop. The bridge slides beneath them into the gorge. Anderson feels Dredd's secure grasp around her injured body. For a moment, there is nothing but air around them. As Anderson lifts her head in investigate, they collide with the cliff face. Dredd takes the brunt of the impact, causing him to grunt, but nothing more. The jolt, however, does more to Anderson than she would like to admit. The force knocks the air from her lungs and begins her most violent coughing fit yet.

"Retract!" he orders.

Anderson can feel them rise against the cliff, but she is too distracted by her suffocating and choking to investigate. She can't get a breath to ease her burning lungs, nor can she expel the blood flooding her mouth. She choking on her blood and suffocating simultaneously. She could feel the ground suddenly beneath her body. Her face pressed to the ground, finally giving her the position to expel her accumulating blood. She spat the blood to the ground beside her, ignoring the growing pool beside her. She gasped for air, cautious not to start choking again.

Dredd climbed up beside her. He carefully pulled her from the edge, minding her battered body. he carefully laid her back to the ground and raised his comm. "Dredd to control."

_"Go ahead."_

"Have located Judge Anderson. Injured, severely. Request immediate medical treatment to my location." he ordered.

_"Copy that. Medic en route."_ control replied.

Anderson closed her eyes once more. The pain and lacking adrenaline was taking its toll on her body. She could hardly keep awake, much less attempt to raise her head. As she faded between states on consciousness, she caught the last few words from Dredd.

"Hang in there Anderson. We'll have you patched up in no time."

* * *

okay, so I've never read the comics and only saw Dredd recently. I doubt I nailed either character, I just like writing fics where characters get the crap beat out of them. unfortunately, it's Anderson.


	2. Shield

Anderson couldn't recall when she'd lost total feeling in her legs. It might have been the moment the perps knife ripped through her defenseless uniform and stabbed her in the back. Or from the massive blood loss she'd sustained following the next two stabbings. Not that it made much difference now. She couldn't move her legs, much less walk or run to safety. And the excessive amount of blood she'd been lying in before being recovered, was simply a confirmation to what she already knew. She was dying. She could feel it coming on. She was ready for the pain to end. But the man whom she deemed it an honor to call her partner, he refused to accept it.

"Dredd." she gasped. "Stop."

"Can't." he answered with his usual sharp tone. "Ten levels to the atrium."

Anderson shook her head against his armor. "I won't make the next level." She swallowed painfully. "Please, stop."

Dredd was never one to comply when people were brought so low as to beg. But this was not a low-life perp begging for his life or freedom. This was a victim asking for a moments rest, but even more than that, this was a fellow Judge. A damn good Judge who had committed countless judgments in the name of justice to maintain the peace throughout the city. An unwanted partner...and unneeded friend. A young woman who fought with all she had to bring criminals to justice...and give him something he never imagined. It was the pleading in her frail voice, that brought him to a halt on the stairs. It was her quiet request that stopped him from moving further. He crouched slowly, taking care in settling Anderson on the floor. His uniform was drenched in her blood, despite the field dressings he'd applied. He eased open her uniform, inspecting the wounds. Even sealed, they still continued to bleed.

Anderson leaned her head back against the concrete railing, breathing shallow. Her chest barely managed to rise a few centimeters. Her face, though splattered with blood, was deathly pale. The blonde locks of her short hair clung to her face by the sweat and blood. Her eyes were closed, giving the illusion of sleep.

"Stay awake, rookie!" Dredd orders. He lifts her chin, trying to rouse her. "Anderson! I didn't risk my ass to save yours, just to have you bleed out."

Anderson groaned as her eyes flutter for a moment. "Should've...left me there."

An unfamiliar-unnecessary-emotion past through him as he watched Anderson grow still. Years ago he'd blocked out everything but anger. But as he watched Anderson's life slip through his fingers, not even he could deny the tiny spark of fear that came from watching her. his rage quickly extinguished the spark of fear. He tears the helmet from his head, drooping it beside him. It's holding him back. Keeping him from seeing her. "DAMNIT ANDERSON, LOOK AT ME!"

His fury and rage temporarily roused Anderson. Her eyes fluttered opened and remained open for a few seconds. She looked up at Dredd. Her eyes closed quickly, but reopened slowly. Her dark eyes stared long at Dredd. From their first meeting a lingering question of his appearance peaked her curiosity. Yet through the years, the question seemed to matter less and fall into the back of her thoughts. Looking at him without his helmet, it felt as if he'd opened his mind to her. Like he'd lowered his shield. She mused at the reality of why he'd done it now, after years of their partnership. Guess she really was screwed.

Anderson swallowed slowly, bidding back the blood that had started to crawl up her throat. Her right hand shook as it lifted from the concrete. Her gloved finger traced the jagged scar running over the right side of his face. It was so easily hidden beneath his helmet, no one would be the wiser. Her eyes drew from his jagged scar to his eyes. The eyes that no longer hid from her. The irony was almost too much not to be humorous. She chuckled lightly, choking on her blood.

"What the fuck are you laughing at rookie?" he demanded.

"Just the...reality, sir." Anderson managed a half smile before it faded. "If not...today...then tomorrow, right? Guess my day's...today."

"That's it. We're moving." Dredd said. He reached for her body, only to have Anderson latch onto his arm. Despite the need to keep moving to the atrium, Dredd found himself unable to let go of her hand.

"I know why...you wear the helmet." she gasped. Her breathing grew weaker.

"We're wasting time here." Dredd replied.

"You hold...so much...anger. You use it...you hide...behind it. Like a shield." Anderson swallowed with difficulty. Several drops of blood trickled from her lips. "because...you-"

"Quit wasting your strength Anderson." he orders, knowing she wouldn't listen to him now. At this point, there was no stopping her, just like there was no way to save her. He was going to lose her.

"You can't hide...what you feel. Not in your eyes." she finished. She closes her eyes, tipping her head back against the concrete. The numbness was spreading higher, taking her arms out of her control. Dredd's grasp on her hand was nothing more than a ghost. Not long now. "I never thanked you."

"For what?"

"The pass." her voice grew quieter. "You...gave me...a chance."

Her grasp grew completely slack in his. Her chest rose one final time with her weakest, shortest breath. In the silence that followed, Dredd swore he heard Anderson's heart stop altogether. Like every other Judge who was lost to the streets. Killed in the line of duty, trying to make a difference. She was gone. Dredd lowered her still hand against her body and leaned toward her. Showing more emotion in one silent gesture than in his whole existence, he placed a kiss on her forehead. He retrieved his helmet and hid-in Anderson's words-behind the fury raging inside of him. He gathered her body into his arms and continued down the stairwell.

As Dredd comes down the final well into the atrium, the doors open in a fury of medics and Judges. They pass him by, moving to further secure the block. One of the medics step in front of him. Dredd barely register's the medics request to take Anderson from him. He walks around the medic. They could do nothing for her now. Why give her to them after the fact? He emerges out of the block. The blazing sun searing him as he steps out into its reach. More medical personnel and Judges patrol the block. As he walks toward one of the medical vehicles, he recognizes the Chief Judge standing nearby. He says nothing as he passes. There was no need. He could see it in her face as he walked by carrying Anderson. He could see the shock, the pain, everything he couldn't afford to reveal. Yet Anderson had known it was all in him. He reaches the medic vehicle and lays Anderson's body onto the gurney. He should have walked away right there. Done what he always had after an accomplished situation. But something pulls him back, something tells him to look at her one last time.

Even after death, covered in blood, pale from blood loss and shock, Anderson holds an illusion of peace within her face. Ironic really. The work of a Judge was never peaceful, and Anderson's life was just the same. She had been dealt drawbacks that would have otherwise crippled any other human in the dead world. Her shield resides in his pocket, picked up when he rescued her. He should leave it with her body. Leave it to be melted for another Judge. He shouldn't have cared for her. But he had, he did, he does.

"You made a difference, Cassandra." he whispered gruffly. "You gave me a chance."

* * *

okay I have no idea where this came from. all I knew what that I wanted one where Anderson died. I know dredd is basically emotionless and some of the responses don't seem like something he would do. oh well deal with it!


	3. Blind

The explosion was deafening. A sound so powerful, it shook the building to the very core. The ignition light had been brighter than a stun grenade, blinding her instantly. The following shockwave not only knocked her off her feet, but threw her through the wall. She hit the ground and slid to a slow stop. And for a moment, everything seemed to cease. There was no sound, no feeling, no drug bust. Just weightless, sightless, silence existence.

Then the world came crashing back. Anderson groaned in pain as she rose to her knees. Her ribs and chest ached from the shockwave and collision. Had the wall been that of the block housing, she would have been smeared all over the walls. She winced as the pain shot through her body with every movement. She turned her attention back to her work and searched for signs of life. She reached out with her mind, searching for any survivors. Cautiously she opened her eyes. The action alone was painful. A possible first degree burn from the flash. What concerned her more though, was fact that she couldn't see a thing. She inhaled slowly, panicking would be of no use.

_"Control to Anderson. We received a report of an explosion at your GPS. Can you confirm?" _control asked.

Anderson lifted her arm. It was sore from the fall, but nothing was broken thankfully. "Anderson to control. Confirm explosion. Medics and meat wagon request-ah!" Her sentence was cut short by a blunt force colliding with her head.

The force through her into the wall behind her. The warm trickle trailing down her head could only be blood. Even if she couldn't see it to confirm it, Anderson knew the sensation all too well. She reached out her mind for her assailant, but a second strike broke her concentration. This time the strike was to her face. Her head snapped to the side in agony. She cried out as the force through her onto her stomach. The bitter copper taste flickered across her tongue from her split lip. Anderson tried to push herself up from the ground. A heavy boot stomped onto her back, pinning her to the ground. The touch of cold steel touched the back of her head, ceasing her movements.

"Move and die bitch."

There were only a few options; fight and die. Lay down and die. Not favorable odds. Still, Anderson couldn't deny the voice in her head, one that had grown on her since becoming a Judge. The only one that had not been created by her psychic readings. The low, gruff voice, belonging to a man equally as brutal, ordering her not to lie down and die.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. In an instant she moved. Rolling her body to the left, she drove her right elbow into the mans arm, effectively knocking the gun from her head. The gun fired at the ground, sending debris into the air. The shot rang through her ears, but Anderson kept moving. She twisted the mans wrist quickly. The sickening snap echoed over the gunshot, but was quickly overthrown by the violent scream produced by the perp. Anderson drove her legs into his body, throwing him from her. She rolled onto her stomach and pushed herself to her knees.

The perps starts again before she can react. His foot slams into her stomach, knocking her onto her back. The force of the kick knocks the oxygen from her lungs, leaving Anderson struggling to breathe. The pain causes the muscles in her body to tense as she tries to breathe again. The perps foot came down on her chest again and again, never giving Anderson a chance to breathe.

A single shot fires through in hall, echoing throughout in the block. Although Anderson can't watch the perp fall with her own eyes, she hears the body crumble onto the floor. The muscles in her body finally relax, but the pain from the assault still lingers. Anderson finally catches her breath, taking slow, steady breaths. The sound of heavy footsteps catches her attention. They sounded close. Twenty yards from her position. As she lays on the ground, the footsteps come closer.

"Let me guess, back up." she managed.

"Yep."

"A little late."

His hands comes down on her ribs, pressing them, checking the injuries. "Nothing broken."

"Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like a bitch." she replied. Anderson grit her teeth and sat up.

His hand suddenly touches her face, catching Anderson off-guard. She draws back a fraction, but Dredd's hand remains on her face. She can feel his fingers tracing the sections of her face near her eyes. Her wounds must be visible then. The site is sensitive, sending a fraction of pain coursing through her face. Anderson winced and drew her face from Dredd's reach.

"It's not permanent. Two hours, you'll have your sight back." he explained.

"Good." she replied. "In that case, we should move out. I don't want your face to be the first thing I see."

Dredd grunted in response and grabbed her arm. Anderson braced herself and rose to her feet with Dredd's help. There was no doubt in her mind she would pay for her comment.

* * *

not as brutal as my last two. the degree of battery changes with inspiration. if anyone has suggestions about chapters just let me know.


	4. Shiver

The water was cold as ice, penetrating the very core of her body. Its frozen temperature dung deep into her muscles, sucking every ounce of strength from her. Her chest felt like a dead weight as she tried to keep breathing. She could feel her blood trying to continue flowing through her frozen body. She could feel her distressed heart beating mercilessly against her ribs. Doing everything to keep her body alive. Her motions and reactions were slow and delayed. how she even managed to hold on for so long was a surprise to herself. Even in her cold clouded mind, she simply refused to die.

Anderson swallowed slowly. Her fingers trembled as they held onto the old pipe above her head. The tunnel beneath the city, an old subway tunnel, was flooding faster and faster. A few more feet, and the grate above her head would overflow with water. That was all the time she had left. Her lawgiver was somewhere beneath the rushing water, out of her reach. She could barely lift her numb arm where her comm lay, much less give control her situation. Anderson closed her eyes and lowered her head. Even if she wanted to keep going, she'd physically lost the strength to do so.

Her numbed mind began drifting in between consciousness and unconsciousness. She felt herself slipping away just enough to where her mind snapped her back to reality. The painful pattern continued for an endless amount of limited time. But Anderson was not going drowned. She was not.

"ANDERSON!"

The voice was sharp, loud, angry. Cutting over the roar of the rushing water around her. Her eyes snapped open as the voice ripped her from the unconscious spell of the water. She weakly lifted her head to look above her. Kneeling just beside the grate, bearing the grimmest of frowns she'd ever seen, was Judge Dredd. Warm relief flooded her frozen veins. Even if he couldn't free her, at least she wasn't going to die alone.

Her lips trembled as she opened her mouth to speak. Her breath came with difficulty from her constricting chest. "D-d-d-dr-r-r-r-re-e-e-ed-d-d."

"GET DOWN!" he ordered. He raised his Lawgiver and aimed at the grate.

Anderson took a ragged breath and released the pipe. She immediately fell beneath the cold surface of the water, caught within the undertow of the surge. Not a second later, she watched the grate exploded and fall around her into the water. She kicked her legs, only making a few inches, not enough to raise her from the undertow. Anderson kicked again, trying to draw herself up to the surface. Her heavy chest burned for air. She raised her hands above her head, breaking through the surface, reaching for anything to grab.

Dredd's tight grasp caught her by the wrist. He hauled her up out of the water. Anderson gasped for air as she broke the surface. She grabbed Dredd's arm with her other hand, hoping she had the strength for at least that much. Dredd secured his grip on her wrist and hauled her out of the tunnel. He laid her down on the ground beside the open grate. Anderson coughed harshly, immediately overcome with cold tremors. Dredd made little work of her vest and jacket, tossing the soaking uniform to the side. Anderson shivered, only in her standard issue tank and pants. Dredd shed his own vest and coat. He wrapped Anderson in his coat, using his own body heat to warm her. That was how the medics found them. One shivering Judge, saved in the arms of their partner.

* * *

meehhh. not my favorite chapter. not my best work either. just liked the idea of Anderson drowning. if you guys have any ideas or requests I do take them. please send them to me.


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